Shabangu unmoved by Cele suspension - report

Johannesburg - Property tycoon Roux Shabangu is unmoved by the suspension of National Police Commissioner General Bheki Cele, according to reports on Wednesday.

Shabangu told The New Age newspaper that he believed President Jacob Zuma had done what he saw fit when he suspended Cele and fired Public Works Minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde.

"The president runs his Cabinet as he sees fit, like I run my business as I see fit," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Shabangu maintained that his deals with the public works and police departments were above board.

Zuma suspended Cele on Monday.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela found his involvement in the procurement of two leases for new police headquarters in Pretoria and Durban, involving Shabangu, unlawful and that they amounted to maladministration. The leases were worth R1.6bn.

Zuma appointed a board of inquiry into the allegations of misconduct in relation to the contracts.

Shabangu welcomed the inquiry into the contracts signed with his company for the buildings, The New Age reported.

He hoped it would "shed some light" on allegations of impropriety levelled against him and Cele.

Shabangu vowed to clear his name in court as he was contesting the public works department's effort to have the lease contract with his company cancelled.

Comments

francie.potgieter - 2011-10-26 14:22

They should charged him with fraud as well. I hope they cancel the contracts with his company.

Craig - 2011-10-26 14:34

It is unlikely they can get him for fraud, besides, I am more interested in the facilitators of these agreements. As far as I understand it a lot of these deals (buy this building cheap, and we will finance it, and then you rent it out to the government for lots of moo-la) are being bank-rolled by Investec. My memory might be incorrect on this, but if you think Shabangu is going to make a lot of money, you can bet your bottom dollar that the bank-roller is going to make a helleva lot more.

Servaas - 2011-10-26 15:23

@Vukani: This coming from a man that bashed white people in a previous article stating we colonized your minds? LOL,oh that is rich.

Dave - 2011-10-26 15:51

@ Vukani, people should unit against racisum and CRIME and not let race of any colour be an excuse for crime.

Manie - 2011-10-28 06:55

Maybe some friends will stay on the payroll!

Paas - 2011-10-26 15:10

Sure he's not, the money's in his pocket already. BUT, the Land Bank thievery is going to come and bite you very soon Roux!

Larry - 2011-10-26 15:10

Hopefully they will come for him next. Then see if he is unmoved, or moved to a nice Prison cell.

Peter - 2011-10-26 15:15

Your pocket will soon be moved!!!

Craig - 2011-10-26 15:25

@Vukani, this is not a race issue and has nothing to do with divide and conquer, it is all about making money out of the government in an unethical way. Essentially the government has so little governance in place it cannot stop it from happening. Whether it is lead from people or structures inside the government or outside of it (or both) or what colour they are is immaterial. The fact is that it happens and it needs to be stopped.

Craig - 2011-10-26 16:06

My memory (faulty as it is) was correct in this instance: http://amabhungane.co.za/article/2011-05-27-skimming-off-the-fat